The characteristics of infant growth and development are large and heavy heads, and weak muscle strength. For example, torticollis: a child can tilt their head to both sides, but most of the time they tilt to one side. This is related to the underdeveloped neck and back muscles in infants aged 1-2 months, which cannot support the weight of the head for a long time. It is also related to the lack of muscle strength in controlling head and neck positions during the developmental stage and the fixed position when the mother holds the baby. Therefore, novice mothers must learn the correct posture to hold the baby to prevent and treat symptoms such as torticollis. It is especially important to support the baby's head when they are 1-2 months old. Remember the following four precautions.
1. Support the baby's head
This is mainly done by lying flat, allowing the baby to lie flat in the adult's arms, or using a slightly inclined posture. Whether lying flat or inclined, one of the adult's forearms should support the baby's head, while the other arm supports the baby's buttocks and waist. For infants who spit up, an inclined posture should be adopted to prevent or alleviate the degree of spitting up.
2. Reduce carrying the baby upright
When carrying the baby upright, the weight of the baby's head will be fully pressed on the cervical spine. The head of a newborn accounts for 1/4 of the total body length, and the cervical spine is not sufficient to support the entire head, which can easily injure the baby's spine.
3. Keep the baby close to the left chest
The fetus is accustomed to the mother's heartbeat. When holding the baby, place their head on the left side close to the heart. Hearing the familiar heartbeat will create a sense of intimacy and a feeling of security. At the same time, communicate more with the baby to broaden their vision and provide more stimulation from the surrounding environment, which is greatly beneficial to the baby's brain development, mental development, and physical growth.
4. Avoid prolonged carrying of newborns
Newborns need 20 hours of sleep per day; babies around 6 months old need about 16 hours of sleep. Therefore, except for special cases such as feeding or changing diapers, avoid carrying the baby too much. Due to physiological characteristics, the lower esophageal sphincter muscles in infants are more relaxed, but the pyloric sphincter muscles are tight. If the baby is played with in the arms after breastfeeding or feeding, food is more likely to overflow from the lower esophageal sphincter, causing vomiting. Infant bone growth is fast, and prolonged carrying in arms is extremely detrimental to the normal growth of the child's bones. It is necessary to take the baby out to bask in the sun to enhance their resistance, but the time should not be too long.
